I had a great time in Egypt.  It’s so rich in history and culture (both ancient and modern) that I was kept in awe for most of my time there.  I went a year before the uprising so I’m not sure what it’s like now and how it will be once it all settles down.  We stayed with a friend who was living there, which meant we didn’t have worry about accommodation in Cairo. (lucky for us).  Our friend also organised for a driver/guide to take us around for one day which was utterly fabulous as he took us off the beaten track (he also drove us all out to the pyramids (and not just the main ones) the next day).  If you’re prepared to relax into the hustle and bustle of a major city that has been a tourist destination for millennia then Egypt is the place for you!  We didn’t go down the Nile as we had originally planned, as due to an Egyptian holiday, the return flights/boats were all booked.  So from Cairo we headed east onto the Sinai peninsula, up Mt Sinai itself and even managed to tack on a day trip to Petra in Jordan!  We’ll definitely be back to see the Nile and the western part of the country.

When: February 2010

Where: Cairo, Sinai, Dahad (on the Red Sea)

Who: With A. and stayed with a friend

How: We flew Emirates via Dubai (had a long layover on the way out and went and had breakfast in Dubai).  We took overnight buses between Cairo and Dahab. We took a bus tour up to Mt Sinai and another organised tour to Petra.

Weather: sunny, very dry, cool in the mornings and evenings.  Just about warm enough for swimming in the sea.

Food: loved it – lots of bread and dips, Koshari.

Sights & Activities:  Cairo: the Cairo museum – not very well catalogued but Tutankhamun and the mummies are very interesting to see, mosques, roof hopping on old mausoleums, the pyramids & sphinx, the step pyramid and the ‘failed’ pyramid.  the Christian area of “garbage” town and the rock cut church there, Sinai Peninsula: lazing around the beachfront of Dahab, very relaxed and holiday feel, climbing Mt Sinai in the dark and seeing the sunrise from the top.

Tips:  Hire a guide/driver for a day in Cairo.  They can take you off the beaten track, will pay all the ‘baksheesh” (bribes) you need to get into places and can explain some of the history.

Hiring a driver for a day trip out to the pyramids is good too, if you want to visit more than the main ones.

Go into at least one of the main pyramids if you can.  Very cool and amazing experience, though the passage ways are narrow and dark (not for those who get claustrophobic).

If you’re going to climb Mt Sinai for the sunrise dress VERY warmly with lots of layers and bring a torch, stick to the sides of the roads or you will get run over by camels (the other option to get up and down).

Go with the flow when it comes to people trying to get you into their shop. Remember they are just trying to make a living. Smile and walk on, or smile, sit down, have some tea and do a bit of bargaining.  When you feel you’ve bought enough, pay, smile and walk on.

Enjoy the many different ways women tie their head scarves!

Note: It is a muslim country, so cover up your legs and arms.  It’s a good idea for women to bring a scarf for visiting mosques.  If you have non black hair some people may touch it (they did to me, but only a couple of times and it was young, curious girls)